


hold my hand (I'm lost without you)

by bookwormforalways



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27227365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormforalways/pseuds/bookwormforalways
Summary: Clarke loves autumn, and especially loves her yearly trip to the local corn maze with her best friend Bellamy. But this year, Clarke enters the corn maze hopelessly in love with her best friend, gets lost, and exits the maze with a boyfriend.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin
Comments: 20
Kudos: 137
Collections: bellarkescord halloween gift exchange





	hold my hand (I'm lost without you)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [animmortalist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/animmortalist/gifts).



> written for the bellarkesdiscord halloween gift exchange
> 
> author's note: this fic is super fluffy, or should I say - super corny ;)

It was autumn, Clarke’s favourite time of year. There was something about the seasons changing and the colder weather arriving that excited her. The bright coloured leaves on the trees inspired her artist’s heart with the brilliant golds, burnt oranges, and crimson reds. And the cooler temperatures invited her to snuggle in her warm wool sweaters and the plaid flannels she borrowed from her best friend. 

The only thing Clarke didn’t like about autumn was feeling lonely. Somehow it seemed all of her friends coupled up in preparation for the cuddle season. Everyone had a hand to hold, someone to snuggle next to while watching scary movies, and the other half for a pairs Halloween costume.

She shouldn’t complain, because technically she isn’t alone. She has her best friend, Bellamy. But her sweet friendship with Bellamy is soured by the fact that she’s head over heels in love with him - and he doesn’t feel the same. 

Luckily, nothing could take away Clarke’s favourite part of autumn, the corn maze. It was a yearly tradition, and filled the slice of time between the end of summer and the lead up to Halloween. 

“Welcome back, you two,” Nyko smiled, as Clarke and Bellamy stepped up to the open window of the ticket booth, serving as a makeshift counter. “I was wondering if you’d be by this year.”

“Of course! It’s tradition,” Clarke answered, sliding over enough cash to cover two entrance tickets to the Trikru Farm Corn Maze. 

“She’s been talking about the maze all week,” Bellamy smirked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. 

Nyko laughed, as he tucked the money away. Arkadia was a small town where everyone knew everybody. And since Clarke and Bellamy had done the corn maze together every year since they were twelve, Nyko was right to expect them. 

“Alright. It’s a quiet night out there, so you guys will likely have the maze to yourselves. It’ll be dark soon. You have flashlights?” Nyko asked.

“I’ve got them,” Bellamy answered, patting his back pocket. 

Nyko passed over a clipboard, holding the maze map. “Great. You know the rules, so have fun.”

“Thanks,” Clarke answered, reaching for the map. Only to have Bellamy grab it out of her reach. 

Bellamy turned to walk over to the maze entrance, and Clarke had to jog to catch up to him. 

“Hey, I always carry the map.” Once she caught up to him, she nudged his shoulder, and playfully tried to steal it from him.

He was taller than her, and easily held the clipboard out of her reach. “What? It’s not a race. Besides, it’s our last year to do the maze before you move away for school next fall. Maybe we should just take our time, and enjoy the maze. For old time’s sake.” 

“But we always play to win,” she argued back, lunging one more time for the map. It was a family corn maze, with no competitions or prizes, but it never stopped Clarke from wanting to race through the clues and to see how fast they could finish the maze. 

“Fine, whatever the hell you want,” he teased. 

Rolling her eyes at him, Clarke stayed silent and they walked side by side on the dirt path to the cornfield, following the signs to the maze entrance. 

Clarke and Bellamy had been best friends since they were eleven and the Blake family moved to town. They were partnered up for a class scavenger hunt during Bellamy’s first week at his new school, and quickly became friends. They were inseparable ever since. 

And the first fall that Bellamy was in Arkadia, Clarke’s parents had allowed her to go through her favourite corn maze without parental supervision. With Bellamy at her side, they navigated the map and unravelled the clues, finishing the corn maze in record time. 

Every year, Nyko’s family created a brand new maze, with new twists and turns and clue locations. And every year Clarke and Bellamy completed the maze, working together to solve the clues, and celebrated with a free cup of hot apple cider by the fire. 

“Let’s take a picture then, before the sun goes down. For old time’s sake.” Clarke reached for her phone only to remember she had left it in Bellamy’s truck. She was wearing leggings and had no pockets, and figured she wouldn’t need it during the maze. 

After badgering Bellamy, he begrudgingly pulled out his phone and snapped a quick selfie of the two of them in front of the maze entrance sign. 

It was brief, but Clarke couldn’t help but shiver as Bellamy’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close to him so they would both fit in the picture. It was hard enough being in love with her best friend, but it was even more difficult to ignore her feelings when Bellamy did something like this, looping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her tightly to his side. She tried to shake off the feeling as she stepped away from him. 

“You okay?” he asked, when Clarke didn’t immediately follow him under the archway into the maze. 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Let’s go,” she answered, marching past him toward the first fork in the maze, hoping she could blame her blush on the cool autumn breeze. 

Instinctively, Clarke took the path to the right when she reached the fork, taking the navigational lead despite not even holding the map. 

And when Bellamy questioned her, though following a half step behind, she simply shrugged and said, “I’m just enjoying the maze, like you said. Whatever the hell you want, right?”

She couldn’t see his face, but his exasperated huff was enough to make her grin.

At the next fork, Bellamy finally let Clarke see the map. There were three clues close to them that they should be able to find easily, so she nudged Bellamy toward the left path. 

Sure enough, they found the wooden checkpoint tucked around a corner. Each checkpoint was home to a clue, a single letter carved into the post. Each number on the map corresponded with a checkpoint in the maze, and with the legend beside the map. By finding the letters at each of the checkpoints - there were thirty-three this year - and logging them on the legend, they would reveal a riddle. And solving the riddle at the end would earn their cup of hot apple cider. 

“One down, thirty-two to go,” Bellamy said, already on his way toward the next clue. 

A cool breeze blew through the maze, and Clarke pulled her scarf tightly around her neck and shoulders. It was unfair that Bellamy seemed completely unbothered by the cold. 

Together, they easily found the next few checkpoints, adding a few letters to the final clue:

**_ _ _ _ E _ _ _ _ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ H _ _ _**

As they walked deeper into the corn maze, it grew darker. Not only were the corn stalks taller, but the sun was sliding down past the horizon. The orange glow of the sunset turned into a faded twilight, and then into an inky black night. 

In the glow of their flashlights, Bellamy and Clarke made their way through the maze. 

“Hey, I think I see something this way,” Clarke said, taking the path to her left, and following it as it veered right and then left again. 

The wind rustled the corn leaves around her, and it was only then that Clarke realized she didn’t hear any footsteps behind her. And there was no second orb of light from Bellamy’s flashlight. 

She spun around, and found she was alone. 

“Bellamy?” Clarke used her flashlight to illuminate the path she had come from, but there was no one there. At least, it was the path she thought she had come from, as she had lost track. When she spun around, she was at a crossroads in the maze, and now there were four possible options, and without the map she couldn’t be sure. 

“Bellamy?”

He had been right behind her, and he would never leave her alone in the dark. Clarke sighed, realizing this, and crossed her arms. “Bellamy, if you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work.” 

But there was no sound aside from corn stalks moving in the breeze, the waxy leaves squeaking as they brushed together. The tops of the stalks grew far above her head, almost blocking out the sky completely. It was eerie, feeling like the walls were closing in around her, as the corn seemed to grow taller to trap her in place. 

“Come on Bell, this isn’t funny,” she groaned, stomping her foot on the ground like an impatient little child. He had to be hiding nearby, having a laugh at her expense. Because the alternative was that he abandoned her in a freaking corn maze without a map or a phone. As unlikely as that was, the thought of his betrayal sent a chill down her spine. 

“No,” she countered, shivering as she whispered in disagreement to her own thoughts. He must have gotten turned around, just like she did. He would never abandon her. That wouldn’t be like Bellamy at all.

She waited another minute, but Bellamy still did not appear. She inhaled sharply. Clarke had no map to navigate her way and no phone to call him. But she still had her flashlight and her wits. As long as she kept her cool, she’d be able to figure this out, and--

Clarke yelped as the light from her flashlight suddenly disappeared with a pop, leaving her alone in the chilling darkness. 

Frantically, Clarke clicked the power button a few times, but nothing happened. _Shit!_ The battery was dead. 

Trying to ignore the panic that was steadily growing within her, Clarke took a deep breath. She wouldn’t scream, she resolved. She might not have a working flashlight anymore, but she still had her wits. If only the corn wasn’t so damn tall and she could see more of the stars in the sky.

The wind howled louder, and the rattling corn stalks elevated her panic. Spooked, she screamed “Bellamy!” louder than before, hoping he could hear her wherever he was. 

There was no response. Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears as her panic increased. Another shiver ran down her spine, and goosebumps lined her limbs. 

Until, finally, she heard his answering shout. “Clarke!” Bellamy yelled from far off in the distance. 

“Bell! Where are you?” Clarke shouted. 

“Keep talking! I’ll come find you.”

“You’d better come find me, Blake,” she retorted, crossing her arms across her chest in a vain effort to keep herself warm in the cool night air. She could hear his footsteps approaching now, the heavier thud signalled he was running to find her. “You’re the one who stole my map, gave me a decrepit and useless flashlight, and abandoned me in a freaking corn maze! So much for best friends! Or staying together!”

The corn rustled nearby, catching her attention. And then she screamed as someone grabbed her shoulder from behind, a hand reaching through the wall of corn. Clarke whirled around, instinctively ready to fight off her attacker. 

“It’s okay, it’s just me,” Bellamy said softly, his voice right next to her ear, even though he wasn’t visible.

Clarke’s eyes flew wide in recognition and she exhaled with relief.

His hand was reaching through the wall of corn, illuminated by the soft glow from his working flashlight. He was on the path next to hers, on the other side of the corn wall. But still, Bellamy had found her. 

“I- uh, I couldn’t figure out how to get to you. I mean, the path you’re on,” he admitted. “Can you climb through here?”

“But that’s cheating,” Clarke tried to say, but her argument was lost as soon as his hand trailed down from her shoulder, raising more goosebumps along her arm, though these weren’t from the evening chill. Bellamy gripped her hand to pull her through the small opening. 

Using her free hand to shield her face from the sharp leaves, Clarke jumped through the opening, letting Bellamy guide her. And immediately fell against his solid chest. 

She felt his arms wrap around her, holding her in a tight hug. So she tucked her arms around his waist, letting herself indulge in this moment of closeness. He was so warm, and she felt so safe. The panic that had been coursing through her moments ago vanished at his touch. 

“Where did you go?” he asked. “I thought you were right behind me, and then you were just gone.”

“I thought you were following me,” she answered, keeping her head tucked against his chest. The flannel of his shirt was soft against her cheek, and she could heart the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat. 

Clarke knew it was dangerous to be hugging Bellamy like this, right now. It was too tempting to imagine what it could be like if he ever returned her feelings. She shivered, overwhelmed with her racing thoughts. 

“You okay?,” Bellamy asked, releasing the hug. In the glow from his flashlight, she could see the concern on his face. 

“Huh? Yeah, no, I was fine,” she retorted, her voice falsely overconfident. To emphasize her point, Clarke lightly bumped her fist against his shoulder, as she often did when they were bickering. 

“Okay then.” Bellamy looked at her curiously for a second, but quickly dropped the argument. “To the next clue?” He asked, and passed the clipboard to her. 

“Yeah, let’s go,” she said, pointing in what she hoped was the right direction. 

He stepped forward, guided by the light of his working flashlight, leaving Clake one step behind in the dark. Bellamy turned back and grabbed her hand, his warm palm enveloping hers, and he towed her along. 

Clarke didn’t pull away from his grip. As she walked alongside Bellamy, she secretly revelled in the fact that she was holding hands with her best friend that she was stupidly in love with. She was playing with fire, but his touch was worth being burned. 

“So you really weren’t afraid?” Bellamy asked again, two checkpoints later, but this time his tone was laced with teasing. 

“No, I was fine. I mean, I wasn’t counting on the flashlight dying, but I would have figured it out.”

Bellamy slowed his pace by a fraction, and glanced over at her. The flashlight’s glow illuminated a dangerous smirk etched on his face. “So if you weren’t scared, why are you still holding my hand?”

She faltered over her step, shocked by his words. _He_ was the one that grabbed _her_ hand, not the other way around. Since there was no way of explaining that she wanted to keep holding his hand _because she liked it_ without revealing her crush, she tried to answer nonchalantly. “I just don’t want to lose track of you again. You’d be lost without me.” 

Clarke heard Bellamy’s exasperated sigh, but he didn’t say anything else. Instead, she pointed them to the right, where they collected another clue. Ten down, twenty-three to go. 

**I _ _ _ E _ U _ _ _ _ D _ _ F _ _ _ S _ U _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ H _ A _**

“You know, you should think about inviting Gina to the corn maze sometime. It would be a perfect way for you to make your move,” Clarke said, as they made a sharp right turn. 

“Why would I do that?” he asked. 

“I thought you liked Gina?”

She felt Bellamy shrug, the movement jostling her hand where it was curled around his. 

“I mean, she’s nice and all. But I don’t like her like that. We’re just friends.”

“Oh,” Clarke responded. “Raven said you were thinking about asking Gina to the Halloween dance?”

“No, why would I do that?” He answered quickly. “Besides, we always go together anyway. I thought you had our costumes planned and everything?”

“Yeah, we’re going to be Mario and Luigi, fake mustaches and all. It’s going to be epic.”

After a moment, Clarke added, hoping her voice sounded light and teasing. “Well, keep this place in your back pocket then, for when there is a girl you like enough. Give her a faulty flashlight and she’ll have to hold your hand all night.” 

Bellamy didn’t say anything, but she felt him look at her. In the darkness, she couldn’t quite make out the expression on his face. Clarke had no idea what he was thinking, but selfishly, she was thrilled that Bellamy didn’t have feelings for Gina. 

In a moment of pure bravado, Clarke adjusted her hand where it held his, so their fingers intertwined. 

Bellamy didn’t comment on that change either. If anything, Clarke could have sworn he even squeezed her hand ever so slightly. If he did say something though, she had an excuse waiting on the tip of her tongue, ready to say that this way was more comfortable for her hand. 

“Turn here, there’s another one!” she called, pulling him along to the next checkpoint. 

Walking hand in hand, they navigated through a few more twists and turns. After collecting a handful more clues from the checkpoints, they reached the tower. 

It was a tall wooden structure near the centre of the corn maze. There were steps leading to a raised platform. During the day, it would be a valuable vantage point, allowing for an overhead view of the maze. But at night, there was hardly any advantage to climbing the tower, as they wouldn’t be able to see anything. 

So Clarke began to walk past the tower, toward the next opening in the corn walls. Her map told her that if she followed that path and made a right turn, followed by two left turns, they would reach the next checkpoint. 

But Bellamy stopped walking, and Clarke was pulled to a stop, tethered by his strong grip. 

“Let’s climb the tower,” he insisted, nodding his head toward the wooden structure. 

She rolled her eyes at him, “What’s the point? We won’t be able to see anything-”

“For old time’s sake. Clarke, c’mon, have some fun,” Bellamy teased, pulling her along as he climbed the steps. 

With an exasperated huff, she followed him. And sure enough, Clarke was right. There was absolutely no point trying to see any of the maze from up here. It was too dark to see anything other than the moon and the stars in the sky. 

Bellamy sighed happily as he leaned against the railing. 

Clarke glanced up at him. Bellamy looked utterly content, and devastatingly handsome. The soft moonlight danced across his face, and lit up his gentle smile. The cool breeze tossed his curls into a haphazard disarray, and she felt the sudden temptation to run her fingers through his hair. 

He looked up suddenly, likely feeling the weight of her gaze on him when she knew better than to stare. 

Embarrassed, Clarke looked out over the dark cornfield and said the first thing on her mind, as she rested her hands on the wooden railing. “You know, if you were smart, you would’ve brought the girl you’re actually crushing on here, instead of me. This would have been the perfect place to make a move. It’s all romantic and shit.”

Biting her lip, she stared out the maze, not daring to look up at him, and not sure that she was ready to hear what he would have to say to that. 

“Okay,” Bellamy paused, inhaling a long breath. “What if that girl was already here with me now?”

Clarke froze. And then slowly, turned to face him, blinking widely. 

“What did you say?” she asked incredulously. 

Bellamy swallowed, and carefully reached his hand out, laying his palm on top of her hand on the railing. 

“What if I’m already here with the girl I like, Clarke?”

_Oh_. 

“You mean, me?” she asked. Her voice high and breathy as she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. 

This couldn’t be real, she could never be that lucky. Maybe when her flashlight died, she was transported to an alternate universe of some sort. Maybe she had fainted and this was some sort of fever dream. Because the Bellamy she knew was destined to only ever be her best friend. He had never shown any sign of wanting to be more than friends or making a move on her, no matter how in love with him she was. 

“Yeah, you’re the only girl I’d want to bring here, or anywhere, Clarke,” Bellamy said, speaking so quickly his words felt jumbled and rushed. “I really like you. As more than friends, and I, uh, I thought you might feel that way about me too.” 

Clarke stood there, unable to move, completely in shock at his words. His eyes were locked on hers, desperately searching for an answer. 

And then he lifted his hand away from hers, and sighed. It seemed like all the air and confidence deflated out of him. “I guess I was mistaken, so, umm, just forget it.”

Bellamy turned and stepped away from her, reaching for the stair railing to climb back down to the ground. 

“Wait! Bell, wait!” she called, her words finally catching up to her heart. 

Bellamy stopped on the top step, and Clarke stared at his back, terrified as she waited for him to turn around. 

His face held a mix of complete terror and unabashed hope. And she hated that she was the source of his fear. Yet she was thrilled by his confession. She had to tell him the truth. 

“Bell,” Clarke whispered, taking two steps toward him, so they were only a few inches apart. He was standing one step down on the stairs, so for once she could look him right in the eye. 

But under his focused stare, she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say. Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she was sure he could hear it where he stood. There was no reason for her to be so nervous - Bellamy already admitted his feelings - all she had to do was tell him the truth. Or show him.

Her gaze dropped to his lips, and stealing another moment of courage, Clarke put her hands on his shoulders and leaned in. 

Her lips brushed his softly, a first kiss full of innocence. Clarke pulled back ever so slightly, her eyes searching to gauge his reaction. Bellamy anchored his hands on her waist, holding her in place next to him as he leaned in to kiss her again. 

His kiss was soft, yet eager. And he held her so tightly, as if he never wanted to let her go. Kissing him back, she hoped she could convey how much she wanted this, and how in love with him she already was. Looping her arms around Bellamy’s neck, she pulled him even closer, threading her fingers through the curls at the back of his neck. 

Bellamy hummed happily, the soft noise reverberating to her lips.

She couldn’t believe it. When she had walked into the corn maze with Bellamy, she had been hopelessly in love with him. But here they were, in the middle of the maze, and he was kissing her. 

Clarke finally tore herself away slightly to catch her breath, and leaned her forehead against his. She could feel the wide grin stretching across his face, and she giggled as she nudged her nose with his. 

“So I was right, you do like me,” he said softly, teasing her as his warm hands slid up her back to hold her closer. 

Clarke bit her lip in an attempt to contain the laughter that almost bubbled off her lips. Instead, she leaned in and whispered in his ear to tease him right back. “Why do you think I wanted to hold your hand all night?”

She felt him shiver at her words for a second, before he moved his hand up to her neck and guided her toward him for another kiss. Eagerly, she kissed him back. Now that she knew what it was like to kiss Bellamy, she never wanted to stop. 

“You’re a menace,” Bellamy said, when they finally broke the kiss to catch their breath. 

Clarke scrunched up her nose at him, “Maybe, but you’re stuck with me forever now.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he answered honestly.

Clarke couldn’t contain her beaming smile. She had never thought that the night would turn out like this, and she couldn’t be happier. 

Bellamy kissed her quickly one more time, before clicking his working flashlight back on. “Come on, let’s finish this maze.”

Clarke followed him down the steps, back to the ground. The autumn air was cold, and it felt so much colder once she was out of Bellamy’s embrace, so she immediately tucked herself into Bellamy’s side. 

He laughed, but put his arm around her shoulder anyway, holding her close. It was exactly where Clarke wanted to be, even if it made walking through the narrow paths in the cornfield more difficult. 

He used the flashlight to light up the map Clarke held in her hands. 

“What if we just skip finding the rest of the clues, and go get some apple cider and sit by the fire instead?” Bellamy asked. His breath next to her ear sent shivers through her that weren’t from the cold. 

And that wasn’t a difficult question to answer. They’d finished the maze together every year for the last five years. And as eager as she had been at the start of the maze, finding the remaining checkpoints was the last thing on her mind. Besides, she’d much rather snuggle next to Bellamy by the fire anyway. “Sounds perfect.”

Hand in hand, they navigated through the rest of the maze, turning left and right until they were on the exit path and saw the lights shimmering from the Nyko’s booth. 

“We made it,” Bellamy smiled, kissing her temple quickly, celebrating their teamwork. 

Clarke grinned up at Bellamy, “Only because you finally let me navigate.”

He smirked at her, but his next words were cut off by Nyko’s booming voice. 

“Hey, welcome back! How was it?” 

“Well, someone gave me a faulty flashlight, but somehow we made it out alive,” Clarke answered, rolling her eyes at Bellamy. 

He shook his head slightly, with the ghost of smile on his lips, and put his hand on her lower back. 

Nyko laughed at Clarke’s comment. “Did you solve the clues?”

Clarke glanced down at the clipboard in her hands. Despite getting separated, her flashlight dying, and the mid-maze makeout session, they had managed to find almost all of the clues.

“Not all of them, but…” Biting her lip, she stared down at the puzzle, her mind fitting the pieces together. 

**I H _ V E _ U N _ R _ D _ O F _ A R S _ U T _ C A _ N _ _ H _ A R**

Bellamy watched over her shoulder while she picked up the pencil again, guessing a few more letters, and slashing lines to separate the long line of letters into words. Words that spelled out a riddle. 

“Aha!” Clarke bounced on her toes excitedly, beaming up at Bellamy. “It says ‘ _I have hundreds of ears but cannot hear’._ ” 

And then rolled her eyes at Nyko. “It’s a freaking cornfield?”

Nyko chuckled. “What did you expect? It’s a family corn maze, it’s not rocket science.”

Leaning back against Bellamy’s solid chest, she couldn’t help but smile. “We’ll forgive you, in exchange for some of that apple cider.”

“Coming right up,” Nyko grinned, and turned to fill two cups with the steamy hot cider. 

Perched on a hay bale next to the roaring fire, Clarke leaned against Bellamy’s side. His arm wrapped around her back holding her close, and keeping her warm. She watched the flames dance and sighed happily. Bellamy quickly stole a kiss, tasting of hot sweet apple cider, making her giggle and bury her nose in his neck. 

Clarke smiled to herself, and realized that this autumn wouldn’t be so bad after all. Bellamy had always been her favourite person to carve pumpkins with, watch scary movies with, and pair up with for matching Halloween costumes. But now that Bellamy was her boyfriend, she could hold his hand, cuddle next to him on the couch, and kiss him at the Halloween dance. 

While the corn maze didn’t hand out prizes or trophies, Clarke had entered the maze hopelessly in love with her best friend, and walked out with a boyfriend, unintentionally winning in the best way possible.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on [tumblr!](https://bookwormforalways.tumblr.com/post/633454034268848129/hold-my-hand-im-lost-without-you-a-fic)


End file.
